Container



Jan. 2l, 1941. J, R wATKlNs 2,229,355

CONTAINER Filed July 5, 1959 f 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 2l, 1941. J. R.wA'rKlNs CONTAINER Filed July 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ---I Ir il-- 2 6.5. W N m E o V W.. w Z f/Z E dA Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CONTAINER James B. Watkins, Niles Center, 11i. vApplication July 3, 1939, Serial N0. 282,631

5 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) 'I'his invention relates to containers. the par-lticular type herein illustrated being adapted for use as a shippingcontainer and is related in its specic embodiment to containers of thecollapsible type which may be shipped when empty in collapsed condition,so as to occupy a minimum of space with resultant conservation infreight.

charges.

A container of this general type is exempiiiied invmy prior Patent. No.1,955,107, issued April 17, 1934, and my present invention is concernedwith an improvement upon this general type of container.

Many commercial articles adapted to be packaged and shipped incontainers of this character are shipped in semi-knocked-down conditionwith one or more of the parts separated from the assembly. Heretoforesuch part or parts have been either shipped separately or have been tiedor otherwise secured to the main article and shipped in the cratetherewith. Unlessseparately wrapped, which adds to the shipping cost,the independent part is likely to become injured by scratching ormarring in shipment and is likewise apt to scratch or mar the mainenclosed article.

One of the purposes of my present invention is to provide a containerwhich will be adapted to contain not only the main article being shippedbut also to carry and protect any separated part or accessory againstinjury and without the necessity of separately wrapping it or of tyingor otherwise securing it to the main article.

'Ihis purpose is accomplished in my presentinvention by providing thecontainer with a pocket adapted to receive and contain the separatedpart or accessory, so that it may be shipped in the samecontainer withthe main article but without danger of injury to either. I

Another purpose of my invention is to incorporate such an accessorypocket in the structure of a collapsible container in such a way thatitwill not interfere with the complete collapsing of the container, butwill in itself be capable of collapsing so as to lie ilat between thewalls of the container body when in collapsed condition.

Still another purpose is to so construct an acinvention will be'readilyappreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible container embodying myinvention Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on the line 10 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the inner face of two adjacent sidewalls oi' the container body when collapsed into co-planer relation andwith my novel pocket in collapsed condition attached 15 thereto Fig. 5is a transverse sectional view through a collapsed container bodyshowing the position o! the accessory pocket in collapsed condition.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing 20 the collapsible wallsof the pocket folded outwardly. instead of inwardly as in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the outwardly folding wallsillustrated in Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, 25 but showing anoutwardly folded wall exemplied in Figs. 6 and 7; i

Fig. 9 is a face view of the blank for forming the pocket of Figs. 1 to5, inclusive; and

Fig. 1o is a similar view of the biank for form- 30 ing the pocket oiFigs. 6, 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, it will be observed that thetubular collapsible container constructed in accordance with myinvention comprises the side walls II, I2, I3, and I4 formed 35 ofsuitable brous material such as fiber board, corrugated board, or thelike, the walls II and I4 being integrally formed and hingedly connectedat the corner I5 by scoring the ilber sheet along the corner line. 'I'hewalls I2 and I3 are llke- 40 wise integrally formed and hingedlyconnected at the corner I6 by a similar score line. 'I'he walls II andI2 are connected at the corner I1 by by nailing or otherwise to the bodycleats 22. The container thus formed is similar in general principles tothat disclosed in my prior patent above referred to, and the positionassumed by the parts when the tubular body is collapsed for emptyshipment is illustrated in Fig. 5.

In such a container my present invention contemplates the incorporationof a pocket forthe reception of a detachable part or the accessory to beshipped with the main article to be enclosed in the container. Thispocket may for convenience be referred to as an accessory pocket,although it should be obvious that any part or piece comprising aportion of or adapted to be used with the main article being shipped maybe contained for shipment in this pocket.

While the pocket may be of any desired size, depending upon thecharacter of the part or accessory to be shipped therein, and while thepocket may be located in any desired position within the container, Ihave shown herein for illustrative purposes a pocket which in practicewill be substantially eighteen inches wide, twenty-four inches deep, andfour inches in maximum expansion, adapted to receive a grill of slightlysmaller dimensions. I'his pocket is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive, and comprises an inner wall 25, a bottom wall 26, a sidewal121, and an opposite side wail 28. 'Ihe bottom wall 26 is scored onits face at 29 and scored on its face at 3|, so as to fold inwardly asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and to provide a flange or margin 32which may be secured by stapling, gluing or other preferred manner offastening to the inner face of the wall I3. The side wall 21 is likewisescored at 33 so as to fold inwardly, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 2, and is scored on its outer face at 34 toprovide a flange ormargin 35 similarly attached by stapling, gluing or otherwise to theinner face of wall I3. The opposite side wall 28 is scored at 36,providing a ange or margin 31 secured in any desired manner to the innerface of wall I2. If desired, the pocket may be provided with a top wallor flap 38 to form a cover or closure for the pocket.

When the tubular body of the container is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 5,the pocket will automatically collapse into the position thereinillustrated. When the body, however, is opened up into rectangulartubular shape, the movement of the wall I2 from a position substantiallyin alignment with wall I3 to a position at substantially right anglesthereto will cause the pocket to expand or extend from collapsedposition into,

the open position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the article orpart to be received therein may be readily introduced.

In the form of the invention thus far described, the side wall 21 andthe bottom wall 26 are adapted, as explained, to fold inwardly when thepocket is collapsed. This leaves the margins 35 and 32 exposed forattachment by stapling or otherwise to the body wall with the pocket incollapsed condition. This form is, therefore, quite lconvenient forcommercial production. It follows, however, that an open space is leftbetween the bottom wall 26 and the lower edge 39 articles this openingwould be of no detriment, but, in instances Where such an opening wouldbe detrimental, my pocket may be made so. as to eliminate this' openingby folding the side and bottom wall attached to body Wall I3 outwardly,instead of inwardly as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In thisinstance, the bottom wall 26 is scored on its inner face, instead of onits outer face as indicated by 2|', and the side wall 21 is likewisescored on its inner face instead of its outer face as indicated at 33'.These walls, therefore, fold outwardly instead of inwardly, enabling thebottom wall 26 to be located contiguous to the bottom edge of the sidewall, thereby leaving no opening between them. 'Ihe manner of foldingwhen collapsed is illustrated in Fig. 8.

The blank from which the inwardly folding wall pocket of Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive, is made is shown in Fig. 9, and the blank from which theoutwardly folding wall pocket of Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, is made isshown in Fig. 10.

It is believed that my invention, its construction, mode of operationand many advantages ,will be apparent from the foregoing, but it shouldbe understood that the structural details illustrated and described maybe varied within considerable limits without exceeding the scope of myinvention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container Acomprising a tubular body having a plurality of hingedlyconnected side walls of fibrous materiaLend closures for said body, anda pocket of fibrous material comprising an inner wall, a bottom Wall andside walls connected respectively to two of said body side walls inproximity to the juncture thereof, the pocket side walls connected tosaid body walls and said bottom wall being collapsible to permit thepocket to collapse and lie flat against said body walls when the bodywalls are disposed in a common plane and to expand and open the pocketwhen said walls are disposed at an angle to each other.

2. A collapsible container comprising a tubular body formed of hingedlyconnected fibrous side walls, closures for the open ends of said body,and a pocket of fibrous material attached to the inner faces of twoadjacent of said side walls, said pocket comprising an inner wall, acollapsible side wall and a collapsible bottom wall attached to one ofthe body walls and a side wall attached to another of the body walls,said bottom and side walls being constructed to assume a collapsedposition when said body side walls are collapsed into a common plane andto assume an extended position to open the pocket when said body wallsare swung into a relatively angular position upon theextension of saidtubular body.

3. A collapsible container comprising a body composed of brous hingedlyconnected side walls collapsible into dat position and extensible intotubular form, said body being provided on its inner face with a pocketformed of fibrous material and comprising an inner wall, side walls andan end wall, one of said side walls and said end wall being attached toone wall of the body and the other side wall to an adjacent wall of thebody, said attached walls of the pocket beingl scored so as to foldintocollapsed position to permit said inner wall to lie substantially fiatagainst the inner face of said body when said body is collapsed and tobe extended to open the pocket upon extension of said body into tubularform. of the side wall 21. For the shipment of many 4. A collapsiblecontainer comprising a tubular body formed of hingedly connected sidewalls, and a collapsible pocket located within the body, said pocketcomprising an inner wall spaced from one of the body side walls when thepocket is in open position, a collapsible pocket side wall and acollapsible pocket bottom wall both attached to said body side wall andmeans for attaching the end oi. said inner wall remote from saidcollapsible pocket side wall to an adjacent body side wall in proximityto the hinged connection between said last mentioned side wail and theside wall to which said collapsible bottom and pocket side wall areattached, whereby said pocket is automatically collapsed upon collapsingof said body and is automatically opened upon opening of said body.

5. The combination with a pair of hingedly connected side walls of acontainer, of a pocket consisting of an inner wall connected at one endto one of said side walls, a collapsible bottom wall and a collapsibleside wall, said collapsible walls being both connected to the other ofsaid hingedly connected container walls, all of said pocket walls beinghingedly associated with said container walls to permit the pocket tocollapse and 5 lie fiat against said container walls when the containerwalls are disposed in a common plane, said collapsible pocket wallsbeing adapted to expand and open the pocket upon relative movement ofthe container walls from said common l0 plane to an angular position.

JAMES R. WATKINS.

